Slate-picker.



c. s. BARBER.

SLATE PIOKBR. A'PFLIGATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1908.

,. .920,939.* Patented 11,1909.

6 8-8HEET 1.

c. s. P RKER;

SLATE PIOKEB.

APPLICATION TILED P121, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

anwnboz iwwwwit T MI NORRIS FEIIII cm, WASHINUION, n. c

G. S. PARKER.

SLATE PIOKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21,1908.

' Patented May I], 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. PARKER.

SLATE PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED 5221721, 1008.

Patented May 11, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Wine 56% rm: NORRIS PETERS cc. ylnsmna-mn, n. c.

G. S. PARKER.

SLATE P1011311. APPLIGATIOR FILED SEPT. 21,1908.

Patented May 1-1, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

mentor THE NORRIS Psrsns co, WASHINGTON, n. c,

tau

CHARLES s. means, or DUNMoRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLATE-BECKER. g

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1i, 1909.

Application filed. September 21, 1908. Serial No. 453,947.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES S. FARRER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dunmore, in the county of Lackawanna and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slate- Pickers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accom panying drawings. g

This invention relates to improvements in separating machines and more particularly to one for mechanically picking slate from coal and for analogous purposes.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical machine of this char-,

acter which will effectively remove slate and other im urities from coal, which may be readily a( justed according to the nature and condition of the material to be separated and. which will have a large capacity and be economical in operation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. is a side elevation of the slate picking machine; Fig. 2 is atop plan View of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section through the upper portion of the machine showing the construetion and operation of one section of, the same; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sections taken respectively on the plane indicated by the lines 44 and 55 in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 isa detail perspective of the separating member; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional views showing different forms of separating members and means for adjusting the same; Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing still another form of separating'member that is capable of adjustment both vertically and horizontally; Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views taken on the planes indicated by the lines 1010 and 1'111 in Fig. 9; andFig. 12- is a vertical section through a modified form of the invention in which the groups of separating or picking devices are arranged vertically above each other. v

This machine comprises a chute preferably inclined downwardly so that the material will feed by gravity through same, a 'itating or feeding means" being, however, a so provided as presently explained. Said chute comprises a body composed of two side plates angle clips to end plates 14. or cradle is arranged between the chute sec- 1 reinforced'by'angle metal bars 2 upon their outer sides and spaced apart and united by an u'iper stationary chute section 3 and a plum ity of other stationary chute sections 4, 5, 6, which are spaced apart and arranged in groups, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. Each of these chute sections is preferably in the form of a metal plate secured to a channel or angle metal beam arranged. between the side plates 1 and united thereto by angular clips.

At the lower end of each of the chute sections 4 is provided a retarding surface 7 of suchmaterial or construction that the slate and other impurities in the coal or other material will, in passing by gravity over such surface, have its speed slackened to a greater extent than the coal and in falling from the surface will fall on a shorter curve than the coal and be separated from the same by a dividing or separating member 8 presently explained. Said retarding surface 7 is shown in Fig. 3 as in the form of one face of a rectangular block of emery, stone or the like, but it will be understood that it may be of any other form, construction and material. It is arranged in a suitable holder and by making it of the shape shown, namely, rectangular or square in cross section, it may be turned when one of its faces is worn so as to expose an unworn face. In Fig. 8 of the drawings the retarding surface is shown as in the form of a layer or covering 7 of rubber arranged upon the supporting body or block. The retarding surface is made adjustable so that it may be adapted to the coal or material separated and this adjustment is preferably effected by mounting its support 9 for angular movement relative to the plane of the chute section 4. Said support is in the form of a cradle arranged for swinging movement on a transverse pivot 10 and, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, consists of three angle metal bars 11, 12, 13, united by Said support tions 4, 5 and it carries a deflector plate 15 which prevents the slate from dropping be tween it and the chute section 5. The support or cradle may be adjusted angularly with respect to the chute section 4 and held in an adjusted position by any suitable means, but I preferably provide at one of its ends an operating lever 16 carrying a spring projected and hand retracted locking awl 17 for engagement with a stationary rac 18.

The lower chute sections 5 receive the slate, impurities and smaller pieces of coal that are retarded in their downward movement by the surface 7 and which fail to pass over the separating members or plates 8 while the select coal which does pass over said separating members is directed by the latter upon the upper chute sections 6to each of which is secured a pan or tray 19. These pans have their lower discharge ends in overlapping relation so that the coal passes over one to the next lower one and will not be again subjected to the succeeding groups of separating devices. The separating member 8 may be of any suitable form and construction and adjusted by any suitable means to permit it to effectively operate upon the coal or material to be separated. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings it is in the form of a substantially Li-shaped member, the cross portion of which is of segmental shape and the upright ends 20 of which are concentrically pivoted at 21 to hearing brackets 22 upon the side plates 1 of the body or frame. The upper extremities of the ends 20 of the separating member or plate 8 serve as handles by means of which the latter may be adjusted toward and from the retarding surface or block 7 and they carry pins, bolts or similar fastenings 23 adapted to be engaged with apertures 24 formed in the bearing brackets 22 and arranged in arc-shaped rows.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings the separating plate 8 a is provided with upwardly bent ends 8 having arc-shaped slots 8 to receive guide pins 8 upon the side plates 1. One of the flanges 8 is also formed with a recess or socket 8 to loosely receive a head at one end of an operating lever 20 which latter is fulcrumed at 20 and carries a clamping bolt or the like 23 which passes through an areshaped slot 24 in the plate 1. When the bolt 23 is loosened the lever 20' may be oscillated to shift the separating member 8.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings the separating member or plate 8 is mounted for sliding movement and carries a rack 25 which meshes with a pinion 26 on a shaft 27. The outer end of this shaft is provided with a hand wheel 28 and also with a ratchet wheel 29 adapted to be engaged by alooking pawl 30.

In advance of each of the stationary chute sections 4 is an oscillatory feed member or plate 31 which operates to check the downward movement of the coal and slate and then lift it and allow it to continue its move ment over the chute section 4:. member 31 is of angular shape in cross section and is pivoted at its lower end close to the chute section 4, as shown at Its upper end has a stop flange 33 which works close to one of the chute sections 5 or the chute section 3 and when above the plane of said sections serves to check or stop the Said feed movement of the coal or slate. This free u pper end or edge of the feed member is raised and lowered by means of a pitman 3 1 connected to the strap 35 of an eccentric 315 which is fixed to a transverse shaft 37 journaled in suitable bearings upon the bottom edge of the side plates 1. The uppermost shaft 37 has one of its ends extended and car ries a belt wheel or pulley 38 and each of said shafts is provided at one end with a beveled gear 39 which meshes with a beveled gear 4U on a longitudinal shaft 4-1 journaled in bearings 42 on one of the side plates .1. 'lhcsc driving connections cause all of thcfcod members 31 to be simultaneously operated, but their eccentrics 36 are 'n'cferably arranged so as to balance the motion and permit an even application of power and consequently increased speed.

in 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings is shown still another modified form of scpara ting member which has a horizontal adjustment toward and from the retarding surface or block 7 and also a vertical swinging; movement which is automatically effected by the movement of the support or cradle l) of said retarding surface or block. in this emlmdinmnt of tho invention the dividing memher or plate has its edge reinforced by a thick angular strap 4-3 and its ends are cured to side plates 14- formed with slots 45 to receive guide pins 4-6 on, the side plates I. The plates 41- cal y racks 4-7 which. incsh will I pinions 48 on a transverse shaft 49. 'lhc latter carries an operating l and wheel 50 and is adapted to be locked in an adjusted position by means of a locking pawl or dog 51. The projecting free ends of the plates -11 arc formed with angular slots 52 to receive operating pins 53 carried by under portions of the cradle or support ll. Said pins 53 may be arranged upon any portion of the cradle or support and the slots 52 are so located that when the cradle or support 5) is shifted to incline the retarding surface 7 the separating member 8 will be simultaneously shifted in a vertical plane and thereby maintain the same relative height with respect to said surface 7. In this form of the invention any means may be employed for operating an udjusting support 9, that illustrated being a hand lever 54 which carries a cam 55 to en gage a block 56 on the upper edge of the ad jacent side plate 1. This vertical adjustment of the separating member is especially advantageous when the machine is handling wet coal.

instead of arranging the several groups of separating or picking devices in an inclined plane, as shown in Fig. 1, they may be arranged vertically one above the other and disposed in zigzag relation as shown in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings. In tnis machine the coal discharge chutes 19 project from opposite sides of the machine and the oscillatory feeding members 31 are arranged vertically one above the other and adapted to be driven from a single vertically disposed shaft-60. Each of said members 31 is connected by an eccentric strap 34* to an eccentric on a shaft 37 and the several shafts 37 are operatively connected to the-main driving shaft 60 by pairs of beveled gears 39 By varying the sizes of the gears of the several pairs, as shown, it will be seen thatthe feed members 31 may be driven at different speeds, which is exceedingly advantageous. A slow feed will permit of the separating member or plate 8 being adjusted close to the retarding surface, whereas, a fast feed requires a larger opening between said parts. This variation in the size of the several groups of gears may be provided in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 as well as in that of the one last described.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The mixed coal and slate is deposited upon the uppermost chute section 3 and passes down the same by gravity, its proper feed being efl'ected by the feed member 31, which latter directs it on to the chute section 4. It passes down this chute section and over the retarding surface 7 which, owing to the usual flat form of the slate, checks or retards the movement of the same while the pieces of good coal pass quickly over said surface and fall on to the upper side of the dividing member or plate 8 The slate and small pieces of coal pass between said member 8 and the deflector 15 and fall upon the stationary lower chute section 5 which directs them through the next separating mechanism below the one just described. By the time the slate has passed through all of the several groups of separating mechanisms between the side plates 1 it will be free from coal while the coal will pass from the plates 8 on to the chute section 6 and then down the pans or trays 19. The adjustment of the retarding surfaces 7 and of the sepa rating members on plates 8 enables the machine to be'adapted for use upon any kind or grade of coal without regard to its condition and while the machine is especially well adapted for separating slate from coal, it will be understood that it may be used for analogous purposes. It will be effective and rapid in operation and consequently its use will effect a saving not only in time and labor, but also space.

WVhile the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail I wish it understoodthat I do not limit myself to the construction set forth since various changes in the form, proportion and details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising a body having side walls connected by downwardly inclined stationary chute sections, two of the latter being superposed and arranged in a plane lower than the other, a transverse pivot rod arranged in the side walls of the body, a cradle-like support fixed to said pivot and consisting of end plates, longitudinally extendin angle bars, and angle brackets uniting the Tatter to said end plates, a deflector upon saidsupport and adapted to co-act with one of the chute sections, a block of retarding material removably arranged in said support and having a plurality of flat faces, any one of which may be disposed uppermost to form a continuation of the lower end of the uppermost chute section, a lever at one end of said support, co-acting means upon the lever and one of the side walls of the body to hold said lever in adjusted position and an adjustably mounted separating member upon one of the chute sections.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a body having side walls, spaced downwardly inclined chute sections uniting said walls, an angular feed member having a rounded lower edge pivoted to the side walls of the body adjacent the upper edge of one of the chute sections, the upper edge of said member having a depending flange, a transverse shaft journaled in bearings upon the bottom portions of the side walls of the body, eccentrics on said shaft, eccentric straps on said'eccentrics and pivotally connected to said feed member for oscillating the same,

an adjustable support carrying a retarding surface and arranged at the lower end of one of the chute sections, and a separating chute section spaced from said support.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a chute, a retardingsurface at the discharge end of the same, a swinging support for said retarding surface, means for adjusting said support angularly, a separating member mounted for sliding and swing ing movement adjacent to said support, means for sliding said separating member in a substantially horizontal direction, and an operative connection between said support and said separating member, whereby when the angle of the support is changed the angle of the member relative to the support will be simultaneously changed.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a body having side walls connected by spaced chute sections, a swinging support between the spaced chute sections, means whereby said. support may be adjusted angularly with respect to the chute sections, a retarding surface on said. support, pins on said support, pins on said side walls,

and a Separating member having side flanges member relative to said support will be sislottecl to receive the pins on the side walls, multaneously changed. 10 whereby said separating member is mounted In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my for both sliding and swinging movement, signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

I said flanges of theseparating member being CHARLES S. FARRER.

also slotted to receive the pins on said suplVitnesses: port, whereby when the angle of the sup- LIZZIE O. FAR-BER,

port ischanged, the angle of the separating S. Bv BULKLEY. 

